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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
• "Is that email a scam?" - Check it online here!
  
• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
  (+225 +229 +234 +27 +31 +32 +34 +44 other)
• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
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Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.

Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "million united states dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
  • "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
  • "ecowas " (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
  • mrschritysah@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: battes james <battesjam@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <jamottb1004@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Wed, 5 Sep 2007 14:47:10 +0100
Subject: WITH DUE RESPECT TO YOU



Mr. James Otto BatesChairman, Ecowas Contractor'sDebt Reconciliation / Appraisal Board,Eco-Resource Board (ERB).Accra-Ghana. Good day, Account provision for transfer of $45 million USD My name is Mr. James Otto Bates, Chairman Ecowas contract dept reconciliation / appraisal boards. I am contacting you to inquire from you if you can assist me safeguard funds amounting to $45 million United States Dollars left by our late foreign contractor whose provided address could not be traced since he died along with his families. You will be presented as the next of kin to the deceases to enable our organisation transfer the money to you. At the end of the transaction, you will be compensated with 30% of the money. This transaction is 100% risk free but should be kept secret and confidential due to my position in Ecowas. I will give you more details about the transaction when I received your affirmative response. You can contact my confidential secretary Mrs. Christy Mensah at her secured E-mail address: mrschritysah@hotmail.com Note: Due to my position now, I have the deceased contract file with me incase of any question from our organization when the deal started and also the process to put claim on the funds as the next of kin will be legally processed to avoid any breach of law of our countries. Thanks for your understanding, looking forward to hearing from you soonest andalso include your private phone number in your reply for easy communication. Yours faithfully,Mr. James Otto BatesWITH DUE RESPECT TO YOU
_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam